Home » Community » Business » Martial Arts To "Bully Proof" Boys & Girls Club

Martial Arts To "Bully Proof" Boys & Girls Club

OAKHURST – The Mariposa Martial Arts Academy Black Belt Candidates for the 2014 Black Belt Test will be holding a Bully Proof seminar at the Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst (BGCO) on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m.

The seminar will be geared toward kindergarten through fifth grade members who will be taught by students striving to earn their first degree junior black belts.

According to the academy’s website, the Bully Proof program strives to, “empower your children with the self-esteem and confidence they need (through age appropriate techniques) to better deal with, recognize, and avoid these situations.”

The event was originally scheduled in October, during National Bullying Prevention Month, and was rescheduled.

BGCO is a non-for profit youth development organization dedicated to promoting the educational, vocational, health leadership and character of boys and girls in a safe, nurturing environment. The Clubs provide more than a safe, fun and constructive alternative to being home alone – they offer a variety of award-winning developmental programs to help youth build skills, self-esteem and values during critical periods of growth.

Boys and Girls Club LogoBoys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has developed programs and materials to assist and provide local Clubs with a systematic means of identifying and responding to bullying and cyber bullying indicators and incidences that are affecting Club members. BGCA comprises a national network of more than 2,800 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 3.3 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances.

Youth of all ages are vulnerable to bullying. Bullying has become a great concern to the public. Recent studies show that 16% of boys and 11% of girls report being bullied at school; 9% of boys and 5% of girls report being bullied away from school.

Of those children who reported being bullied, 70% of the boys and 35% of the girls reported carrying a weapon.

El Portal Belt Graduation photo courtesy Mariposa Martial ArtsThe Academy’s original dojo is located in Mariposa and the school also has a dojo in Oakhurst with classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is also a dojo in El Portal with classes on Sundays. All are welcome to attend classes to see if there is an interest in attending one of the three schools in the mountain area. For more information, call the Mariposa Martial Arts Academy at (209) 742-4501 or visit www.mariposama.com

To learn more about BGCO programs and how you can help, 559-642-4600, www.BGCOakhurst.com or email BGCO@sti.net

Leave a Reply

Sierra News Online

Sierra News Online